It could have been a disastrous day for golf. Instead it turned into an epochal one.

No sooner had the members at Muirfield caused revulsion the world over by rejecting a resolution to allow women to join than the Royal and Ancient Golf Club responded by taking them off the Open rota.

Let’s spell that out: never again will The Open be awarded to a course that does not have women members.

Henry Fairweather, chair of Muirfield Golf Club, stands in front of the clubhouse at the course in Edinburgh

Two women finish their round on a rainy day at the Muirfield Course, where they are not allowed to be members

Yes, it should have happened decades ago, we all know that, but let’s celebrate it has finally happened, nonetheless.

As for the Muirfield custodians, the self-proclaimed Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, that’s a good one, isn’t it? Perhaps they could now have another vote on a change of name. The Shameless Company of Edinburgh Golfers would cover it. Or dishonourable.

Honestly, what is it with these people? You get to host The Open and you don’t feel any affinity with the game to help it prosper and grow? You are one of the world’s most famous clubs and entrusted with the care of one of the finest courses on the planet and you don’t feel a modicum of responsibility?

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You would think when even a traditional, reactionary establishment like the R&A thinks you have got this one wrong you would pause and consider; when the reasoned voices in your own club are pleading with you to do the right thing.

But no. Despite a recommendation from their own club board, the resolution to admit women fell short of the required two-thirds majority.

A group of men play golf a Muirfield in Edinburgh, which is no longer part of the Rota for The Open

Wow — there is no separating these people from their all-consuming sense of self-importance, is there?

Thank the Lord, then, for the modernisers in the R&A who finally said: we’ve had enough of this.

During the past three years I had asked two chief executives of the R&A whether they could envisage an Open being taken to a club with no women members and been depressed by the answers. Neither Peter Dawson nor his successor Martin Slumbers were prepared to rule it out.

But when push came to shove, Slumbers and the R&A stood up for the game, and three cheers to them for that.

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgen was joined by Padraig Harrington in her assault on Muirfield

Naturally, Muirfield’s stance came under heavy fire. You would expect Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to declare it indefensible.

But standing shoulder to shoulder with the eloquent feminist were hardened Open winners like Paul Lawrie and Padraig Harrington, who grew up in traditional golf clubs.

Even Sir Nick Faldo, who won the Open twice at Muirfield, did not feel the need for a diplomatic silence. ‘While I accept that private clubs have the right to create their own policies, I fully support the R&A’s forward-thinking initiatives towards inclusiveness and growing the game around the world,’ he said.

World No 3 Rory McIlroy added: ‘In this day and age it’s not right to host the world’s biggest tournament at a place that does not allow women to become members. Hopefully they can see sense and we can get it back there one day. The R&A did the right thing.’

Not that the Muirfield members could care. You might think this hard to believe but I promise you: all too many of them regard hosting The Open every 10 years as a massive inconvenience.

Sir Nick Faldo, who won the open twice at Muirfield, also supported R&A's stance on 'inclusiveness'

Go to every other club on the rota and you can tell the vast majority of members feel a sense of privilege and pride to share their course with the world.

Go to Muirfield and you can almost feel the distaste at having to share their precious acreage, even once a decade, with hordes of commoners.

Of course, there is some residual sadness given the catalogue of great Opens staged there. Jack Nicklaus so loved the venue he named one of his own designs Muirfield Village. Only three years ago Phil Mickelson won the title with one of the great final rounds in Open history.

Ironically, perhaps, it is the fairest course on the Open rota. But I have to say, and I don’t write this lightly, that during more than 30 years covering this great game I’ve never been to a more unpleasant golf club, or one I couldn’t wait to leave.

Phil Mickelson poses with the Open trophy in 2013, the last time the event was held at Muirfield

Never mind that it’s an undeniably brilliant course. I wouldn’t set foot there in anything other than a working capacity.

So let’s concentrate on the fabulous Open courses who are welcoming — like Royal Liverpool, Royal Lytham and the newest member, Royal Portrush — and let Muirfield shut their doors and keep themselves to themselves.

Everything you need to know was there on Thursday when they allowed their captain to read out a statement that he clearly did not agree with and one that left the poor man squirming with embarrassment.

How could you do that to your own captain? Only at the Shameless Company of Edinburgh Golfers.